Fantastic horseback riding experience! Top notch operation at reasonable prices. My daughter and…read moreI bought a 1-hour group horse back riding lesson for $25 each from Living Social. Setting the lesson up was a breeze. Owner Kerry is more than accommodating. Facility is beautiful with indoor and outdoor arenas. Everything was clean and organized. Teacher Catie was phenomenal. Had us trotting, cantering and jumping in no time (we both have previous experience, but hadn't ridden in a while). Horses were docile and easy to ride. Tack was very well kept. Really amazing place. Will be setting up regular lessons in the future.

By far best eventing barn you can go to, Kerry and Kate are phenomenal and ensure that the horses…read moreand riders are always happy, healthy and safe. Kerry's extensive upper level experience allows her to teach students of every level, and no detail is being overlooked at MAF! Facility is gorgeous, and the convenience to top notch loch moy is unbeatable. A very friendly, family-like vibe that allows you to feel at home from the second you enter. Whether you want instruction, experience or want a qualified person to help train your horse, miles ahead is the way to go!

This was a wonderful equine facility that had fallen into disrepair but is now under new, young…read moreowners. Repairs so far made significant improvement in its' facilities safety and appearance. More work is presently underway. The current crew are very knowledgeable and hard working. We feel that both our horses and ourselves are well cared for here. We originally boarded here for 3 1/2 years and enjoyed riding over its' ample trails and using the formal arenas. We have happily come back to ride here once again. This is a complete equestrian center no matter what type of riding you do.

As a horse owner and boarder, I feel like it's my responsibility to educate others in the horse…read morecommunity on how terrible this facility really is. I moved there originally because I needed a fast, short-term solution. However, in the short 3 months it was never ending care problems, stealing, lawsuits/scandals, and I learned that borders do not have a voice about their own horses. Recently, Potomac Riverside was taken over by new "management" and I use that term loosely. Rebekah and James's knowledge of horses and care is below zero - in the sense that boarders had to step up to teach them what a halter was, how to clean a stall, fill water buckets, feed grain, and lead horses. That does not even cover lameness or any medical issues. They wouldn't know what to look for if a horse were to colic or even know what colic is. A couple of other issues that I would like to also share. The first being that they ignorantly ordered oak shavings instead of pine. Oak shavings are toxic to all livestock and can cause colic, liver and kidney failure, and even death. When multiple boarders tried to educate them about this, they decided they were going to use the oak shavings anyway. Several vets had to be involved in order to correct this detrimental mistake. James and Rebekah also decided (without informing any horse owners) that they would be corralling the horses in from the fields instead of leading them. They refer to it as their "gate system", but it's corralling. This was tried a couple of years ago, by the owner of the farm herself. A horses ended up breaking its leg because it was trying to run to keep up with the mixed heard. It was euthanized the next day. Again, when boarders voiced their concerns about this system being implemented, they were either kicked off the property or asked to move their horses. I would go every single day to see my horses to make sure they had enough food and water, to clean my own stalls, and bought my own shavings because I had to make sure they were safe. I also moved out two days early and never received my money back for those two extra days I paid. James and Rebekah are unethical in more ways than one. I am sure this barn will try marketing tactics such as rebranding, but do not let a new farm name, low-level trainers, and other tactics fool you.

absolutely wonderfu! mocha the horse and his handlers did a fantastic job with the kids of all ages…read moreand us the parents.

Saw them at a fall festival today. The guy in charge was over the top rude. Yelled at me that I…read moreneeded to walk next to my child, then screamed at me for going on the wrong side (no information had been given as to which side) then started screaming at me for walking around to the "correct side". Screamed at his employees, and excited kids for not knowing which side of the table he wanted them standing on for the "line". And this was in the first 20 minutes of the day. I can only imagine how poorly the horses get treated if that is how he interacts with people. I would not consider using them for a party.

So this barn is many peoples first introduction to horse care, and it was mine, so I only later…read morerealized that this facility isn't the best. two years ago I was a working student here, I was excited because they said on their website that for every eight hours you work, you get a free lesson. I figured that meant my weekly lesson paid itself right? wrong, it was such a hassle I didn't get any extra lessons. Anyways I have since found a private barn and am a non formal 'working student', since then, I have learned way more about horse care and realized how low Talbots bar was. Things I never realized until later included horses being left with tack on for over an hour, very basic feed, most horses we're just fed sweet feed(that I saw). I was also occasionally asked to dump a horses feed straight onto the ground (stall and field). And don't get me started on the rats, everywhere, it was perfectly normal to see like three rats in the corner of a stall. Horses are also very hard to get going, most needed to be harshly kicked to simply trot. And extreme girthiness was present. I would also like to mention I posted a three star review on Google (being generous) and the owner Emailed my mother, Trying to get me to take it down. Stating that she dosen't think minors shouldn't be posting reviews, and that I didn't see the full extent of their feeding program. No I was not included in the feeding program, but from what I saw in the nasty fly swarmed, rat filled feed room, It wasn't that extensive.

My daughter has gone to summer camp here for the past several years. She also rides at another…read morebarn. Ann and Robin (the owners) are a delight to deal with and they have plenty of student helpers on hand for the newer riders. My daughter has really wanted to learn to canter and they worked one on one with her (even as part of a larger group) to achieve her goals. My daughter's smile at the end of the week during their "show" was totally worth it. They are conveniently located between Carroll and Frederick counties. Excellent value for your time and money!!

What a diamond in the woods (see what I did there?). This place has quickly become a family…read morefavorite with our boys old enough to enjoy 4 & 2. The options of what they can do here is plentiful and it's all free. Want to hear more? Good I thought you would. First of all, the staff is great with the kids and want them to have an enjoyable time, so they do this by providing them with endless unique opportunities. What unique opportunities, great question, here are the opportunities provided. You've got the cave (kids get to crawl in a man made cave and escape via a slide). Legacy of the land to the play area in the Legacy of the people (see what life was like and play house from the time before electricity). Curiosity corner (games, books, replies & snakes all in a themed room) or the Raptor Walkway (see the bald eagle Orion, or a hawk, vulture or owl) to the really cool outdoor play area that is not your typical playground, but very nature minded. There are endless programs during the week, you even get a chance to feed the raptors every Saturday. look here: https://www.montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/rock-creek-regional-park/meadowside-nature-center/programs/, this place has so much more than you would ever expect. The boys can't stop talking about going back.

This place so such a treasure for kids. We really loved the outdoor play space, the indoor wildlife…read morehabitat exhibit complete with cave and slide, and the pioneer exhibit. My kids played for a long time with all the early American toys. I do wish they would keep things like the indoor wildlife exhibit up a bit more. I'm sad the turtle habitat has been abandoned for traditional aquaria. It added a real wow factor to that exhibit that complemented the taxidermy. Still they have some great terraria with reptiles. The bird feeders definitely needed filling up too, but we did get to see a beautiful Cooper's hawk perched in a tree while we checked out the raptor exhibit. This place is a bit of a hidden gem. If you have children between 2 and 10 you should definitely pay this place a visit. Older kids will love it too if they are into nature. Thanks Meadowside. We'll be back!

I found Lucia Farm through Fairfax Parktakes. I always loved horseback riding (trail riding), and…read morehave been doing it on and off for a few years so I decided to get serious. I was looking everywhere for low prices, and for knowledgeable instructors in the area. Everywhere I looked the cost for lessons were extremely high. I looked through my Fairfax Parktakes account, and found lessons that were affordable. They are scheduled on the weekends. I have Sunday classes. I love my experience so much that I plan to continue taking horseback riding lessons here! Here is a picture of my riding horse for training.

Great farm, great owner, great horses. As a "green" rider, I decided to take lessons here to get…read morefamiliar and learn everything my little brain could soak up. My first lesson was with the owner herself, Dru. You couldn't find a nicer person, let alone owner, to give you a private, first lesson. My following lessons were in a group setting with another instructor and were just as helpful and great. I would share her name but I'm afraid everyone will call and steal her from me as she only gives lessons one day of the week! (I know, so not the way of Yelp...shoot me) Not only do they give the attention needed to give proper lessons, but they really reinforce the care, time and attention that's needed to properly care for and bond with a horse. You literally start your lesson by grooming your horse (to bond), tacking your horse (with guidance, of course), and doing a little ground work. Lessons aren't rushed and the instructor always ensures that your safety and comfort level are top priority. Oh, and they teach English riding, not Western! I plan to continue private lessons to advance my skills and overall knowledge of horses and maybe eventually do some more group lessons. If you are interested in horseback riding lessons, I'd say go here. Also, for the work and level of guidance, the prices here are hard to beat. From my understanding, the farm offers additional services but I'm not sure what exactly they are. It is a bit far if you're coming from the city and its surrounding areas but it's totally worth it-- if not just for the lessons then to also get a fresh breath of rural air and to take in the amazing scenery.

Best kids class in the DMV! My daughter absolutely loves her agility/ninja class. The teachers are…read morevery personable, professional, and encouraging. They teach her new skills and push her to develop her abilities. Every other kids exercise/sports class has felt more like babysitting than skill development. Agility stands out! It is well-managed and staff/teachers are always helpful.

We just had my six year old's birthday party here and boy what a treat! Not only did we have a lot…read moreof kids, 23 to be exact, but we also had all of their parents hanging out, and the fact that this place was so accommodating for everyone was awesome! You do think for a minute the amount of time they give isn't enough, but I guarantee you it is! Not only were there happy faces the entire time they were in the activity rooms but in the food rooms as well. The happiness just didn't stop! What a joyous and fun occasion, that certainly was made more so by the staff at the establishment. Highly recommend for your next child event, and I look forward to bringing my family back, thanks, Sharka and team!!

My daughter and her friends had a lovely experience celebrating her 10th birthday…read more It is a very beautiful / clean space and the experience working with the owner was very smooth and easy. The staff on the day of handled everything wonderfully well and we were able to just enjoy the day.

Valarie and her team were a dream to work with. They made my daughter's 8th birthday party a…read morebreeze. The location is so beautiful and they went out of their way to match her theme, get the guests engaged and having fun, and help make special memories. The birthday girl described it as her "best birthday party ever!" Thank you all so much!